A Team Week 53: Avery Turns One!

This week started off kind of rough.  As I mentioned in my last post the week prior ended with me being quite emotional.  Those emotions continued into this week as I worked to finish up a project that has been the largest test of my patience in my 13 years in architecture.  On Wednesday night, it was the eve of my baby boy's 1st birthday and I sat at work until 8pm working on this project with tears falling down my face as I thought about missing out on my last few hours with a baby in our house.  At 8pm though I gave up and headed home, putting the frustrations and anxieties of the week behind me to focus on my family.  At this point everything turned toward the (MUCH) better.

Video: Boys + Whoopie Cushion = Laughs & Giggles

Tuesday Night...This is what happens when you send three boys to the store together.

On Thursday, it was Avery's first birthday!  My little boy was one year old already and to celebrate I took the rest of the week off to spend his first birthday with him and Asher and to prepare for his birthday party on the weekend.  Me and my little guys had a great morning playing together, including enjoying the beautiful fall weather with fun in the backyard and fun at the park.  Then after lunch the boys took some good naps and I got some work done and then Eric came home early to spend the rest of the day celebrating with us.

Asher loves to climb everything lately.  He won't go into his room by himself these days (afraid of the dark, dinosaurs, lions, etc), but he will climb up and up and up, making this momma nervous).

I Love Swinging!!!

(2) Video: Watermelon Slurpies

As I mentioned, after playing at the park, we headed back home for lunch.  Part of our lunch was watermelon and after giving each of the boys some to munch on, I headed into the office for a minute to check on something...leaving the larger bowl of watermelon within reach.  As I sat in the office, I began to hear the giggling of two little boys.  Knowing full well that giggling (although adorable) is often not a good sign, I headed back to the dining room to see what they were up to.  What I found was Asher drinking the watermelon juice directly out of the larger storage bowl and Avery slurping up the same juice directly off his tray (which I assume Asher dumped there).  It was definitely one of those moments that has a mom you have to just shake your head try not to laugh...and of course take a video (or two)!

A mischievous little grin.

Slurping watermelon juice

Once Eric got home from work, we continued the birthday celebration by heading up to the Racine zoo for a couple of hours.  Then we stopped by Georgie Porgies for dinner in the tree fort and Avery's first sugared treat before heading back home.

Watching the kangaroos

The boys both wanted to go for a swim in the penguin pool

Checking out the rhino

Watching the giraffes (which were thankfully on their best behavior today)

Avery's GQ pose

Dinner at Georgie Porgies

Video: Avery's Introduction to Sweets

When we were done eating dinner, we headed back down to the register to order a sundae to share (which was a supposedly the regular size but was HUGE).  Asher, Avery and I all enjoyed it together, and this was Avery's first experience with a sweet treat other than fruit.  Not surprisingly he was a BIG fan.  I couldn't get it into his mouth fast enough, and he insisted on holding a spoon in each hand and still kept trying to get mine.  By the time we were done, we were both covered in ice cream but he was such a happy boy...at least until it was time to put the ice cream away!  When he realized he wasn't getting more and I wasn't fully paying attention, I realized that he had somehow pulled the bowl close enough to him to get his hand inside and was digging through the ice cream trying to get a hold of as much of the goodness as possible!  I guess he takes after his mommy! ;)

When the birthday fun was drawing to a close, the kiddos were fed, and the evening was quickly approaching we headed back home for a few family pictures and presents before bed.  Then it was time to say goodnight after a great day together...but not without an extra long birthday snuggle! :)

Avery is a little water bottle thief.  He is always taking everyone else's bottles.  So much so that when I was looking at the bottles online to buy one for his birthday, Asher (not knowing I was already planning to buy one) looked at my screen and surprised me by saying not that he wanted me to buy HIM one of those, but rather that I should buy one of those for Avery. <3

As soon as he saw the bottle his eyes lit up...He was SOOOO happy...best gift ever...but unfortunately still doesn't keep him from stealing our bottles! :)

Asher was pretty good about the fact that these presents were not for him, but he was also quite happy when I told him that he could help Avery open them.  A week or two prior when I mentioned Avery's birthday, Asher asked if he would get presents.  I said yes and then he asked if he could open them.  We explained to him that since they were Avery's presents, we needed to give Avery a chance to open them, but that if he needed help Asher could help.  Asher replied: He is just a little baby.  He will need my help.

New toys!

When all the celebrations and my birthday boy snuggle were over, it was time to get back to work preparing for the birthday party coming just two days later.

Dinosaur cookies!  Roarrr!!!

On Friday, I stayed home again to prepare more for the party ahead while Eric went to work and the boys went to daycare.  It was a very productive day...at least until all of my boys came home

Avery trying out his new bottle on Friday morning.

For the party, I wanted to make these yarn balls.  Unfortunately they turned out to be a complete Pinterest FAIL....oh well, one less thing to worry about before the party.

To try and entertain the boys a bit more so we could get things done, we gave Avery his last present that we hadn't given him the night before...a small slide.  Both boys were very excited about it!

Video: Sliding

On Saturday of this week, we had Avery's Roarrr!!! party, which I will post on another time.  Then on Sunday, we spent the morning with the grandparents before they all headed home and then we caught up on some much needed rest ourselves.

Family dinosaur picture.

Since Eric's parents had stayed at a hotel, we headed over there in the morning to let the boys have some fun in the water before they checked out.  Then we all (my parents included) headed over to Cracker Barrel for breakfast before we all parted ways.

We spent the remainder of the day being lazy at home and then it was off to bed for our birthday boy (but not before a bit of playtime).  Once Avery was in bed, our bigger boy got to stay up late with Eric and I to watch the lunar eclipse/blood moon...hard to believe he will be in college the next it occurs!

Ganging up on Daddy

Daddy retaliates

The start of the eclipse

Reading with Asher before bed while we wait for the full eclipse view

The blood moon

No better way to end a week of celebrating our little boy, Gods little creation, than snuggling with our other little boy in awe of Gods amazing creation! :)  We.Are.Blessed.